Inhibition of nocturnal acid secretion in duodenal ulcer patients by an H-2 histamine antagonist-cimetidine. A controlled double-blind investigation.

A new H-2-receptor antagonist, cimetidine, was tested as to its ability to suppress overnight gastric acid secretion in 8 male duodenal ulcer patients. In a double-blind controlled investigation, each volunteer was studied during four consecutive nights. In randomized order they received either 100, 200, or 300 mg of cimetidine or a placebo. No untoward clinical orlaboratory effects of the drug were found. Single-dose oral administration of 300 mg cimetidine caused a significant (P less than 0.05) inhibition of overnight gastric acid secretion for an 8-hr period, with the intragastric pH staying between 3.5-6.0. Cimetidine, because of its potent gastric acid inhibitory effect, may become an important therapeutic agent in the management of peptic ulcer disease.